Improvement in droppers for harvesters



G. M. PETERS.

DROPPER- FOR HARVESTERS.

. No 81,941. Patented Sept. 8, 1868.

-' UNITEDS TA'IES? (PAT NT e. rn'rnnson LANCASTER, oHIo.

IMPROVEMENT IN DR OlPP'ERS FOR HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 81,941, datedgSeptember 8, 1868.

To all whom it may concern:

Ohio, have :invented certain new .and useful Improvements in Droppers or Discharging Platform for Harvesters; .and I do hereby'defclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making a; part of this specification, in which Figurel is aplan or top view of a machine embracing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing the platform raised or tilted to discharge the grain. Fig.3 is -a side eleva.

tion, showing the platform in position to rea .of the bent rod or crank J, the outer or swingceive the falling grain as it-is cut; and Fig. 4 represents modifications in thearrangement of parts hereinafter described.

tSimilar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to-that class of harvestin g-machines in which the grain is discharged from the platform, on which it falls as it is cut, by the movement of the platform itself; and consists in giving to the platform a reciprocating and tilting movement combined, by means substantially such as are hereinafter described, whereby the platform is quickly withdrawn from underneath the completed gavel, allowing it to drop in front of the platform and behind the cutting apparatus, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Arepresents a main frame; B B, the driving and carryingwheels; 0, the main axle; D, the drivers seat E, a drag-bar 5 F, a lateral brace-rod, connecting the lower or free end of the drag-bar with the main frame and sustaining it in proper relation thereto. G is the finger-bar, attached at its inner end to the drag-bar, and provided at its outer end with a carrying-wheel.

The parts above referred to may be of any usual or desired construction and arrangement. The drag-bar and brace may be hinged to the frame, to adapt the cutting apparatus and platform to conform their movements to the surface of the ground over which they pass, independently of the main frame; or any other construction of machine may be substituted for that illustrated in the drawing, as my improvements are applicable to any of the various constructions of rigid or hinged-bar machine in use.

.11 H are arms, of any su table form orma- .terial, attached by theirforward or lower ends to'the finger-bar, and forming supports for the platform I, arranged between them, and attached-ator near its rear edge to a bent rod or crank, J, which has its bearings in the arms H. The platform is connected to the rod J by loops .or hinges, whichallow it to turn freely upon said rod, and,when in position to-receive the falling grain, is-supported ,at its forward edge by resting upon the rear edge "of the finger-bar.

K is a crank-arm, attached to" the inner end ingend of which is connected by a pitman or rod, L, to a lever, M, mounted .on the'main frame, within convenient reach of the driver on seat D. A rod or link, J, is pivoted at one end to theinner arm H, and, at its opposite end, to the platform, in the manner -:represented in the drawing, said link serving, by its relation to the crank-arm, to give the necessary tilting movement to said platform when the latter is operated or moved backward by the vibration of said bent rod or crank J.

The platform may be made of any suitable construction, either slatted or solid, as may be preferred. A slatted platform, composed of light slats or teeth, either wood or metal, attached to a rear transverse supporting-bar, will be found advantageous in use, as combining lightness and an easy and quick delivery, but it will be apparent that other con struction of platform may be used.

In operation, when the machine is drawn forward, the platform is supported in a horizontal or slightly-inclined position, with its forward edge resting upon or slightly in rear of the rear edge of the finger-bar, until a sufficient amount of grain has accumulated thereon to form a sheaf, when the driver, on his seat D, by operating the bent rod J through its connection with the lever M, moves the platform back from the finger-bar in such manner as to withdraw it from underneath the grain, the butts of which rest upon the finger-bar. As the platform is thus moved backward, the rear edge thereof is thrown upward by means of the link or rod J, causing the platform to the crank-rod to lift the forward edge. rear portion of the platform, being thus held turn or tilt upon the rod as' a fulcrum, until it assumes a vertical or nearly vertical posior tilting of the platform upon its crank-shaftor arm being such as ,to compensate for the tendency of movement of the platform with The and thrown upward while the forward portion is withdrawn from under the grain, serves to j hold the grain until the platformhas assumed its vertical or'nearly' vertical position, when the gavel drops upon the ground, and the plat form is immediately returned to its formerpositlon to receive another gavel, passing over' that deposited upon the ground;

' e The compound movement thus imparted to the platform is such-as to cause I the gavel to be depositedalmost instantly and in compact form upon the ground, and the rapidity with which the gavel can be removed and the platform returned to its former position is such as to obviate the necessity forthe employment of a cut-01f to hold the falling grain while the v completed gavel is being discharged, though such device may be readily applied in such manner as to be operated by the movement of the platform, if required. v

V In Fig. 4, a modification in the arrangement of the supporting-arms and bent rod and link 1 'ciprocating and tilting is shown; and it will be bbvious that various other modifications in the arran'geinentof said parts may be made for the same purpose, still preserving substantially the same movements of the platform or the mode of operation above described.

By'adjustiug the relation of the link J to the bent rod J, the throw of the platform on 'saidrodmay be varied, and by adjusting the point of attachment of connecting-rod L, either on the lever or crank, the throw of the operating-'rod-or bent arm, and consequently the movement'of' the platform, can be regulated as desired.

Having now described my invention, what ters Patent, is

1. Hinging or pivoting the platform to a bentar-mor support, bysmeans of which it is operated in such manner as to admit of a re movement, substantially asdescribed, v 1

2. The bent arm or rod to which the platform is hinged, and by means of which said platform is vibrated, in combination with the rod or linkfor tilting the platform upon its operating-arm. v r

3. The bent rod or arm J, link J, crank K, connecting-rod L, and lever M, or their equivalents, in combination with the platform I, arranged and operating substantially as described.

G. M. PETERS.

Witnesses O. E. PETERS, G. L. ECKERT. 

